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"The Jesus of the New Age Movement," Part Two in a Two-Part
Series on New Age Christology (an article from the Christian
Research Journal, Fall 1989, page 15) by Ron Rhodes.
The Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal is
Elliot Miller.
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In her best-selling book, _Out on a Limb,_ Shirley MacLaine
recounts how a friend once said to her: "You know that nothing is
recorded in the Bible about Christ from the time he was about
twelve until he began to really teach at about thirty years
old. Right?" "Yes," MacLaine replied, "I had heard about that
and I just figured he didn't have much to say until he got
older." "Well, no," her friend responded, "a lot of people
think that those eighteen missing years were spent traveling
in and around India and Tibet and Persia and the Near
East....They say he became an adept yogi and mastered complete
control over his body and the physical world around
him....[he] tried to teach people that they could do the same
things too if they got more in touch with their spiritual
selves and their own potential power."[1]
Did Jesus travel to the East to study under gurus? Did He
_become_ "the Christ" as a result of what He learned and
accomplished there? Are there mystical "gospels" that have been
suppressed by the church, keeping us from knowing the _real_
Jesus? In this article, we will look at these and other important
questions related to the Jesus of the New Age movement. We begin
by examining the claims of a controversial Russian writer.
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*Glossary of Key Terms*
*Caste.* A term applied to the social groups in India which
rank in a hierarchical order. The four primary castes -- from
highest to lowest -- are: _Brahmins_ (priests), _Kshatriyas_
(warriors), _Vaishyas_ (peasants), and _Sudras_ (unskilled
laborers).
*Cosmic Christ.* Variously defined, but always seen as
divine. Many New Agers speak of him (it) as a universal,
impersonal entity who -- among other things -- indwelt the body
of the _human_ Jesus for three years (from his baptism to his
crucifixion).
*Jains.* Followers of Jainism. Jainism is a religious system
of India that arose in the sixth century B.C. in protest against
the ritualism of Hinduism and the authority of the _Vedas._ Jains
are rigidly ascetic, believing in a strict control of wrong
thought and action as a means of escaping from the transmigration
of the soul (rebirth) that results from one's past actions
(karma).
*Monism.* A metaphysical theory which sees all reality as a
unified whole. Everything is seen as being composed of the same
substance.
*Sutras.* Collections of aphorisms (or proverbs) which
highlight the teachings of the _Vedas_ and _Upanishads_ (Indian
scriptures).
*Vedas.* The oldest and most sacred scriptures of Hinduism.
(The word _veda_ means "sacred knowledge.")
*Zoroastrians.* Followers of Zoroastrianism, a Persian
religion founded by Zoroaster (c. 628 B.C.-c. 551 B.C.).
Zoroastrianism is an ethical religion which espouses an ongoing
struggle between two primal spirits: _Ahura Mazda_ (the good
spirit), and _Angra Mainyu_ (the evil spirit). Ahura Mazda will
ultimately triumph.
Note: Additional technical terms used in this article are
defined _within_ the text.
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*THE LIFE OF SAINT ISSA*
As the story goes, in 1887, Nicolas Notovitch -- a Russian
war correspondent -- went on a journey through India. While en
route to Leh, the capital of Ladakh (in Northern India along the
Tibetan border), he heard a Tibetan lama (i.e., monk) in a
monastery refer to a grand lama named Issa (the Tibetan form of
"Jesus"). Notovitch inquired further, and discovered that a
chronicle of the life of Issa existed with other sacred scrolls
at the Convent of Himis (about 25 miles from Leh).
Notovitch visited this convent and was told by the chief lama
that a scroll did in fact exist which provided details about the
Prophet Issa. This holy man allegedly preached the same doctrines
in Israel as he earlier did in India. The original scroll, the
lama said, was written in the Pali language and later translated
into Tibetan. The Convent of Himis possessed the Tibetan
translation, while the original was said to be in the library of
Lhassa (the traditional capital of Tibet).
Notovitch eventually persuaded the lama to read the scroll to
him, and had it translated from Tibetan by an interpreter.
According to Notovitch, the literal translation of the scroll was
"disconnected and mingled with accounts of other contemporaneous
events to which they bear no relation," and so he took the
liberty to arrange "all the fragments concerning the life of Issa
in chronological order and [took] pains to impress upon them the
character of unity, in which they were absolutely lacking."[2] He
went without sleep for many nights so he could order and remodel
what he had heard.
From the scroll, Notovitch learned that "Jesus had wandered
to India and to Tibet as a young man before he began his work in
Palestine."[3] The beginning of Jesus' alleged journey is
described in the scroll this way:
When Issa had attained the age of thirteen years, the
epoch when an Israelite should take a wife, the house
where his parents earned their living...began to be a
place of meeting for rich and noble people, desirous of
having for a son-in-law the young Issa, already famous
for his edifying discourses in the name of the
almighty. Then it was that Issa left the parental house
in secret, departed from Jerusalem, and with the
merchants set out towards Sind, with the object of
perfecting himself in the Divine Word and of studying
the laws of the great Buddhas.[4]
According to Notovitch, the scroll proceeds to explain how,
after briefly visiting with the Jains, young Issa studied for six
years among the Brahmins at Juggernaut, Rajagriha, Benares, and
other Indian holy cities. The priests of Brahma "taught him to
read and understand the Vedas, to cure by aid of prayer, to
teach, to explain the holy scriptures to the people, and to drive
out evil spirits from the bodies of men, restoring unto them
their sanity."[5]
While there, the story continues, Issa sought to teach the
scriptures to all the people of India -- including the lower
castes. The Brahmins and Kshatriyas (higher castes) opposed him
in this, and told him that the Sudras (a lower caste) were
forbidden to read or even contemplate the Vedas. Issa denounced
them severely for this.
Because of Issa's controversial teachings, a death plot was
devised against him. But the Sudras warned him and he left
Juggernaut, establishing himself in Gautamides (the birthplace of
the Buddha Sakyamuni) where he studied the sacred writings of the
Sutras. "Six years after, Issa, whom the Buddha had elected to
spread his holy word, had become a perfect expositor of the
sacred writings. Then he left Nepal and the Himalayan mountains,
descended into the valley of Rajputana, and went towards the
west, preaching to diverse peoples the supreme perfection of
man."[6] Following this, we are told, Issa briefly visited Persia
where he preached to the Zoroastrians. Then, at 29, he returned
to Israel and began to preach all that he had learned.
According to Notovitch's "scroll," by the end of Issa's
three-year ministry, Pilate had become so alarmed at his
mushrooming popularity that he ordered one of his spies to accuse
him falsely. Issa was then imprisoned and tortured by soldiers to
force a confession which would permit his being executed. The
Jewish priests tried to act in Issa's behalf, but to no avail.
Issa was falsely accused and Pilate ordered the death sentence:
At sunset the sufferings of Issa came to an end. He
lost consciousness, and the soul of this just man left
his body to become absorbed in the
Divinity...Meanwhile, Pilate became afraid of his
action and gave the body of the saint to his parents,
who buried it near the spot of his execution...Three
days after, the governor sent his soldiers to carry
away the body of Issa to bury it elsewhere, fearing
otherwise a popular insurrection. The next day the
crowd found the tomb open and empty. At once the rumor
spread that the supreme Judge had sent his angels to
carry away the mortal remains of the saint in whom
dwelt on earth a part of the Divine Spirit.[7]
Following this, some merchants in Palestine allegedly
traveled to India, came upon some people who had known Issa as a
casual student of Sanskrit and Pali during his youth in India,
and filled them in on Issa's demise at the hands of Pilate. And,
as the story concludes, _The Life of Saint Issa_ was written on a
scroll -- author(s) unknown -- three or four years later.
*Reactions to Notovitch*
This alleged manuscript generated a number of lively
responses. Let us briefly look at a sampling of these.
*F. Max Muller.* In October 1894, preeminent Orientalist Max
Muller of Oxford University (who himself was an advocate of
Eastern philosophy and therefore could not be accused of having a
Christian bias) published a refutation of Notovitch in _The
Nineteenth Century,_ a scholarly review. Four of his arguments
are noteworthy: (1) Muller asserted that an old document like the
one Notovitch allegedly found would have been included in the
_Kandjur_ and _Tandjur_ (catalogues in which all Tibetan
literature is supposed to be listed). (2) He rejected Notovitch's
account of the origin of the book. He asked how Jewish merchants
happened, among the millions of India, to meet the very people
who had known Issa as a student, and still more "how those who
had known Issa as a simple student in India saw at once that
he was the same person who had been put to death under Pontius
Pilate."[8] (3) Muller cites a woman who had visited the
monastery of Himis and made inquiries about Notovitch. According
to a letter she wrote (dated June 29, 1894), "there is not a
single word of truth in the whole story! There has been no
Russian here....There is no life of Christ there at all!"[9] And
(4) Muller questioned the great liberty Notovitch took in editing
and arranging the alleged verses. Muller said this is something
no reputable scholar would have done.
Notovitch promptly responded to Muller's arguments in the
preface to the London edition of _The Life of Saint Issa_ which
was published the following year (1895). But his response did
little to satisfy his critics. He said: (1) The verses which
were found would not be in _any_ catalogues because "they are to
be found scattered through more than one book without any
title."[10] (But in his _first_ preface he said the Convent of
Himis contained "a few copies of _the manuscript_ in
question."[11]) (2) Regarding the unlikeliness of Jewish
merchants encountering those who knew Issa as a child in India,
Notovitch said "they were not Jewish but _Indian_ merchants who
happened to witness the crucifixion prior to returning home from
Palestine."[12] (Even so, it would still be unlikely that --
among the millions in India -- the merchants would come upon the
precise people who knew Issa as a child.) (3) As for editing and
arranging the verses in _The Life of Saint Issa,_ Notovitch said
that the same kind of editing was done with the _Iliad_ and no
one ever questioned that. (But how does this legitimize
Notovitch's _modus_operandi?_) (4) As to the refusal by the lama
of Himis to affirmatively answer questions about the manuscript
(as he apparently did with the lady who wrote Muller), Notovitch
says this was because "Orientals are in the habit of looking upon
Europeans as robbers who introduce themselves in their midst to
despoil them in the name of civilization."[13] Notovitch
succeeded only "because I made use of the Eastern diplomacy which
I had learnt in my travels."14 (This was a convenient
rationalization, for Notovitch could always point to a lack of
"Eastern diplomacy" on the part of a European challenger
whenever a monk refused to corroborate the Issa legend.)
Assuming (wrongly) that his response to Muller laid criticism
of his work to rest, Notovitch suggested that in the future
his critics restrict themselves solely to the question: "Did
those passages exist in the monastery of Himis, and have I
faithfully reproduced their substance?"[15]
*J. Archibald Douglas.* J. Archibald Douglas, Professor at
Government College in Agra, India, took a three-month vacation
from the college and retraced Notovitch's steps at the Himis
monastery. He published an account of his journey in _The
Nineteenth Century_ (June 1895), the bulk of which reproduced an
interview with the chief lama of the monastery. The lama said he
had been _chief_ lama for 15 years, which means he would have
been the chief lama during Notovitch's alleged visit. The lama
asserted that during these 15 years, _no_ European with a broken
leg had _ever_ sought refuge at the monastery.
When asked if he was aware of _any_ book in _any_ Buddhist
monastery in Tibet pertaining to the life of Issa, he said: "I
have never heard of [a manuscript] which mentions the name of
Issa, and it is my firm and honest belief that none such exists.
I have inquired of our principal Lamas in other monasteries of
Tibet, and they are not acquainted with any books or manuscripts
which mention the name of Issa."[16] When portions of Notovitch's
book were read to the lama, he responded, "Lies, lies, lies,
nothing but lies!"[17]
The interview was written down and witnessed by the lama,
Douglas, and the interpreter, and on June 3, 1895, was stamped
with the official seal of the lama. The credibility of _The Life
of Saint Issa_ was unquestionably damaged by Douglas's
investigation.
*Nicholas Roerich.* In _The Lost Years of Jesus,_ Elizabeth Clare
Prophet documents other supporters of Notovitch's work, the most
prominent of which was Nicholas Roerich. Roerich -- a Theosophist
-- claimed that from 1924 to 1928 he traveled throughout Central
Asia and discovered that legends about Issa were widespread. In
his book, _Himalaya,_ he makes reference to "writings" and
"manuscripts" about Issa -- some of which he claims to have seen
and others about which people told him. Roerich allegedly
recorded independently in his own travel diary the same legend of
Issa that Notovitch had seen earlier.
Per Beskow -- author of _Strange Tales About Jesus_ --
responded to Roerich's work by suggesting that he leaned heavily
on two previous "Jesus goes East" advocates: "The first part of
his account is taken literally from Notovitch's _Life of Saint
Issa,_ chapters 5-13 (only extracts but with all the verses in
the right order). It is followed by 'another version' (pages
93-94), taken from chapter 16 of Dowling's _Aquarian
Gospel._"[18] (We will consider the _Aquarian Gospel_ shortly.)
*Edgar J. Goodspeed.* Notovitch's _The Life of Saint Issa_
refused to die; it was republished in New York in 1926. This
motivated Edgar J. Goodspeed, Professor at the University of
Chicago, to publish a Christian response. He commented that "it
is worthwhile to call attention to [_The Life of Saint Issa_]
because its republication in New York in 1926 was hailed by the
press as _a new and important discovery,_"[19] even though first
published over thirty years earlier (1894).
Three of Goodspeed's arguments are noteworthy. (1) Goodspeed
suggests a literary dependency of _The Life of Saint Issa_ on
Matthew, Luke, Acts, and Romans. This would not be odd except
that _The Life of Saint Issa_ was allegedly written three or four
years after the death of Christ, whereas Matthew, Luke, Acts, and
Romans were written two or three decades later. An example of
this dependency relates to how _The Life of Saint Issa_ attempts
to fill in the silent years of Jesus between the ages of
_twelve_ and _thirty_: "these two ages are taken for granted by
the author of this work, who unconsciously bases his scheme
upon them. We know them from the Gospel of Luke alone, and the
question arises: 'Has the author of _Issa_ obtained them from
the same source?'"[20]
(2) Notovitch describes Luke as saying that Jesus "was in the
desert until the day of his showing unto Israel." This, Notovitch
says, "conclusively proves that no one knew where the young man
had gone, to so suddenly reappear sixteen years later." But, says
Goodspeed, "it is not of Jesus but of John that Luke says this
(1:80), so that it will hardly yield the conclusive proof
Notovitch seeks. At this point in Luke's narrative, in fact,
Jesus has not yet appeared."[21]
(3) Goodspeed comments that _The Life of Saint Issa_ does not
purport to have been deciphered and translated by a competent
scholar: "The lama read, the interpreter translated, Notovitch
took notes. He could evidently not control either the lama or the
interpreter, to make sure of what the Tibetan manuscripts
contained."[22]
Throughout the twentieth century, many individuals have
responded positively to the work of Notovitch, including Janet
and Richard Bock (makers of the film, "The Lost Years of Jesus"),
Swami Abhedananda, Sai Baba, Paramahansa Yogananda of the
Self-Realization Fellowship, and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Evidence
abounds that the Issa legend is alive and well today.
Max Muller, J. Archibald Douglas, and Edgar J. Goodspeed have
all presented solid refutations of the legend. These should
challenge any serious Issa advocate to reevaluate his or her
position. I shall offer further arguments later. But first, it is
necessary to examine additional features in the New Age profile
of Jesus.
*THE AQUARIAN GOSPEL OF JESUS THE CHRIST*
Another major source for the New Age Jesus is _The Aquarian
Gospel of Jesus the Christ,_ written by Civil War army chaplain
Levi Dowling (1844-1911). The title page of this "gospel" bears
the words: "Transcribed from the Book of God's Remembrances,
known as the Akashic Records." (Occultists believe the physical
earth is surrounded by an immense spiritual field known as
"Akasha" in which is impressed every impulse of human thought,
will, and emotion. It is therefore believed to constitute a
complete record of human history.) Hence, unlike Notovitch whose
conclusions were based on an alleged objective ancient document,
Levi's book is based on an occult form of subjective
(nonverifiable) illumination.
The bulk of Levi's gospel, first published in 1911, focuses
on the education and travels of Jesus. After studying with Rabbi
Hillel (a Jewish scholar), Jesus allegedly traveled to India
where he spent years studying among the Brahmins and Buddhists.
Jesus supposedly became interested in studying in the East
after Joseph (Jesus' father) hosted Prince Ravanna from India.
During his visit, Ravanna asked "that he might be the patron of
the child; might take him to the East where he could learn the
wisdom of the Brahms. And Jesus longed to go that he might learn:
and after many days his parents gave consent." So "Jesus was
accepted as a pupil in the temple Jagannath; and here he learned
the Vedas and the Manic laws."[23]
Jesus then visited the city of Benares of the Ganges. While
there, "Jesus sought to learn the Hindu art of healing, and
became the pupil of Udraka, greatest of the Hindu healers."[24]
And Jesus "remained with Udraka until he had learned from him all
there was to be learned of the Hindu art of healing."[25]
Levi proceeds to chronicle a visit to Tibet, where Jesus
allegedly met Meng-ste, the greatest sage of the East: "And Jesus
had access to all the sacred manuscripts, and, with the help of
Meng-ste, read them all."[26]
Jesus eventually arrived in Egypt, and -- in what must be
considered a climax of this account of the "lost years" -- he
joined the "Sacred Brotherhood" at Heliopolis. While there, he
passed through seven degrees of initiation -- Sincerity, Justice,
Faith, Philanthropy, Heroism, Love Divine, and THE CHRIST. _The
Aquarian Gospel_ records the bestowal of this highest degree:
"The hierophant arose and said...upon your brow I place this
diadem, and in the Great Lodge of the heavens and earth you
are THE CHRIST....You are a neophyte no more; but God himself
will speak, and will confirm your title and degree....And then
a voice that shook the very temple said, THIS IS THE CHRIST;
and every living creature said, AMEN."[27]
Later, following his three-year ministry as THE CHRIST and
his subsequent death, Jesus' resurrection is described by Levi in
terms of a "transmutation" which all men may accomplish. He made
many appearances to people all over the world to substantiate
this transmutation. For example, he appeared to the "Silent
Brotherhood" in Greece and said: "What I can do all men can
do. Go preach the gospel of the omnipotence of man."[28]
*THE READINGS OF EDGAR CAYCE*
Like Levi, Edgar Cayce claimed the ability to read the
Akashic Record while in a trance. During his life, he gave over
16,000 readings, 5,000 of which deal with religious matters. It
was from the Akashic Record that Cayce set forth an elaborate
explanation of the early years of Jesus.
The person we know as Jesus, Cayce tells us, had 29
previous incarnations: "These included an early sun worshipper,
the author of the _Book of the Dead,_ and Hermes, who was
supposedly the architect of the Great Pyramid. Jesus was also
Zend (the father of Zoroaster), Amilius (an Atlantean) and other
figures of ancient history."[29] Other incarnations include Adam,
Joseph, Joshua, Enoch, and Melchizedek.
This particular soul did not become "the Christ" until the
thirtieth incarnation -- as Jesus of Nazareth. The reason Jesus
had to go through so many incarnations is that he -- like all
other human beings -- had "karmic debt" (sin) to work off.
Jesus received a comprehensive education. Prior to his
twelfth year, he attained a thorough knowledge of the Jewish law.
"From his twelfth to his fifteenth or sixteenth year he was
taught the prophecies by Judy [an Essene teacher] in her home at
Carmel. Then began his education abroad. He was sent first again
into Egypt for only a short period, then into India for three
years, then into that later called Persia....From Persia he was
called to Judea at the death of Joseph, then went into Egypt for
the completion of his preparation as a teacher."[30] During his
alleged studies abroad, Jesus studied under many teachers
(including Kahjian in India, Junner in Persia, and Zar in Egypt),
and learned healing, weather control, telepathy, astrology, and
other psychic arts. When his education was complete, he went back
to his homeland where he performed "miracles" and taught the
multitudes for three years.
*JESUS THE CHRIST AND HIS TEACHINGS*
There are many differing views regarding how Jesus attained
"Christhood." As we have seen, Levi said Jesus went through seven
degrees of initiation, the seventh being THE CHRIST. Cayce said
Jesus became "the Christ" in the thirtieth incarnation. Many
modern New Agers say the _human_ Jesus merely "attuned" to the
_cosmic_ Christ, or achieved _at-one-ment_ with the Christ by
raising his own "Christ-consciousness." But however Jesus
attained "Christhood," New Agers agree that he was a teacher _par
excellence_ of New Age "truths."
New Agers generally do one of two things with the teachings
of Jesus. Some merely reinterpret the _gospel sayings_ of Jesus
to make it appear that Jesus was actually teaching New Age
"truth." Others add that _long-lost (New Age) sayings_ of Jesus
have been rediscovered. These "rediscovered" sayings can have one
of two sources: reputed ancient _extracanonical writings_ (like
the "Gnostic gospels" which were allegedly suppressed by the
early church and rediscovered at Nag Hammadi in 1945) and the
_Akashic Record._ Let us now consider samplings of each of these.
*The Gospel Sayings of Jesus.* According to New Agers, we
must all seek first the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 6:33),
recognizing that the "kingdom" has reference to our inner
divinity.[31] For indeed, Jesus said "Ye are gods" (John 10:34).
The parable about those who foolishly build a house on sand
(Matt. 7:24-27) teaches us that those who fail to recognize their
divinity will not be able to stand against the storms of
life.[32] But if we come unto Jesus, we will find rest, for his
yoke (i.e., _yoga_) is easy and his burden is light (Matt.
11:28-30).[33]
*"Newly Discovered" Sayings from Extracanonical Sources.*
Jesus taught a form of pantheism according to _The Life of Saint
Issa,_ for he said that "the Eternal Spirit [God] is the soul of
all that is animate."[34] He also taught that all humans have
unlimited potential: "I came to show human possibilities....that
which I am, all men will be."[35] And, according to the Gnostic
gospels, Jesus spoke of "illusion and enlightenment, not of sin
and repentance."[36] Indeed, man can save himself: "If you bring
forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save
you."[37]
*"Newly Discovered" Sayings from the Akashic Record.*
According to Levi's _Aquarian Gospel,_ Jesus was just a
way-shower: "And all the people were entranced, and would have
worshipped Jesus as God; but Jesus said, I am your brother man
just come to show the way to God; you shall not worship
man."[38] Jesus also taught _pantheism_ and _monism_: "The
universal God is one, yet he is more than one [i.e., he takes
many forms]; all things are God; all things are one."[39] Jesus
also tells us that "the nations of the earth see God from
different points of view, and so he does not seem the same to
every one."[40]
*THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN RESPONSE*
A Christian response to the New Age rendition of Jesus may
begin with the observation that _the accounts of Jesus going East
have irreconcilable contradictions._ This fact alone should make
any objective investigator suspicious of the reliability of these
documents.
Each of the accounts differ, for example, regarding the
beginning of Jesus' trek. _The Life of Saint Issa_ portrays Jesus
departing secretly from his parent's house with some merchants on
their way to India so he could perfect himself by studying the
laws of the great Buddhas. Levi's _Aquarian Gospel_ depicts
Prince Ravanna from India asking Jesus' parents if he can escort
Jesus to India where he can learn Indian wisdom. Cayce's reading
of the Akashic Record has an Essene teacher sending Jesus to
India to study astrology and other psychic disciplines.
What is particularly revealing is that both Cayce and Levi
allegedly obtained their "revelations" by reading the Akashic
Record, yet their readings blatantly contradict each other. Since
both Cayce and Levi are highly respected in New Age circles, how
do New Agers account for the obvious failure of at least one of
them to properly "read" the Akashic Record? Furthermore, if one
of these top-rated New Age seers cannot be trusted, which one can
be?
Not only do the accounts disagree with each other, _they all
disagree with the gospel accounts in the New Testament._ And the
New Testament has solid, irrefutable manuscript evidence --
something that should be considered by those wanting to replace
it so easily with Gnostic gospels or alleged ancient manuscripts
claiming that Jesus went East.
The New Testament gospels are based on eyewitness testimony.
Moreover, they were written very close to the time of the events
which they report. It is crucial to recognize that the four
canonical gospels are all dated much earlier than the Gnostic
gospels. The _earliest_ Gnostic gospels date from A.D. 150 to
200. The New Testament gospels date from A.D. 60 to 100 --
approximately one century earlier. Clearly, the New Testament
gospels are the _authentic_ and _reliable_ source for information
on the life and teachings of Jesus.
On the other hand, _all of the "Jesus goes East" accounts
contain historical inaccuracies,_ several of which have already
been mentioned. Other examples include: (1) Levi's _Aquarian
Gospel_ said Herod Antipas was ruler in Jerusalem. Antipas,
however, never ruled in Jerusalem but in Galilee. Dowling meant
to say Herod the Great. This is especially significant since
Levi's transcriptions are claimed to be "true to the letter" in
the introduction of his _Aquarian Gospel!_[41] (2) Levi's
reference to Jesus visiting with Meng-ste was probably meant to
be the great Chinese sage, Meng-tse (tse, not ste). Dowling
apparently didn't realized, however, that Meng-tse died in 289
B.C.
The deeper one probes, the clearer it becomes that the Jesus
of the New Age movement lacks any basis in history. To many, _The
Life of Saint Issa_ appeared to provide this. However, _the world
still awaits bona fide hard evidence that can be physically
examined by all interested parties._ Even a photograph would be
helpful. But as Notovitch lamented: "During my journey I took a
considerable number of very curious photographs, but when on
arrival at Bombay I examined the negatives, I found they had all
become obliterated."[42] I don't want to be cynical, but....
In order to find a New Age Jesus in authentic documents, _New
Agers are forced to deal with the language of the New Testament
in a manipulative fashion._ Tal Brooke comments: "It is a little
like the problem of the Marxist who wishes to change the common
understanding of the United States Constitution so that a
gradualist skewing of word meaning can enable a socialistic
interpretation of words whose intended meanings in the original
were clearly different."[43]
Though the New Testament does not directly address this
issue, _there are strong indirect evidences that Jesus never
traveled East for eighteen years._ First, Jesus was _well-known_
as a carpenter (Mark 6:3) and as a carpenter's son (Matt. 13:55).
That His carpentry played a large role in His life up to the time
of His ministry is clear from the fact that some of His parables
and teachings drew upon His experience as a carpenter (e.g.,
building a _house_ on rock as opposed to sand, Matt. 7:24-27).
Moreover, the people in and around Nazareth displayed
familiarity with Jesus, as if they had had regular contact with
Him for a prolonged time. At the beginning of His three-year
ministry, Jesus "went to Nazareth, _where he had been brought
up,_ and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, _as was
his custom._ And he stood up to read" (Luke 4:16). After He
finished reading, "all spoke well of him and were amazed at the
gracious words that came from his lips. _'Isn't this Joseph's
son?'_ they asked" (Luke 4:22). This implies that those in the
synagogue regarded Jesus as a local resident.
It is important to note that when Jesus stood up to read, He
did so from the Old Testament Scriptures. And the Old Testament
-- for which Jesus _often_ displayed reverence (cf. Matt. 5:18)
-- (1) contains numerous warnings and admonitions about staying
away from false gods and false religious systems (cf. Exod. 20:2;
34:14; Deut. 6:14; 13:10; 2 Kings 17:35); (2) clearly
distinguishes between the creation and the Creator, unlike
Eastern thought; and (3) taught the need for _redemption,_ not
_gnosis_ (knowledge). It is no coincidence that Jesus is often
seen quoting from the Old Testament in the gospels, but _not
once_ does He quote from (or even mention) the Vedas!
While some in Nazareth were impressed at the graciousness of
Jesus' words, others were offended that He was attracting so much
attention. They seemed to be treating Him with a contempt born of
familiarity. We read in Matthew 13:54-57: "Coming to his
hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and
they were amazed....'Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his
mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon
and Judas?...Where then did this man get all these things?' And
they took offense at him."
Among those that became angriest at Jesus were the Jewish
leaders. They accused Him of many offenses, including breaking
the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1-14), blasphemy (John 8:58-59; 10:31-33),
and doing miracles in Satan's power (Matt. 12:24). But they
_never_ accused Him of teaching or practicing anything learned in
the East. The Jews considered such teachings and practices to be
idolatry and sorcery. Had Jesus _actually_ gone to the East to
study under "the great Buddhas," this would have been excellent
grounds for discrediting and disqualifying Him regarding His
claim to be the promised Jewish Messiah.
It is noteworthy that the self-concept of the New Age Jesus
is that he is just a _man_ who became enlightened in the East,
eventually achieving Christhood. The self-concept of the New
Testament Jesus, however, is one in which He singles Himself
out as _God_ (cf. John 8:58).
It is understandable why the "Jesus who went East" refused to
accept worship (cf. Dowling). The New Testament Jesus, by
contrast, accepted worship on numerous occasions because He knew
Himself to be the one and only God (note especially Matthew
28:17). Of course, _only God can be worshiped_ (cf. Ex. 20:4-5;
Deut. 6:4-5, 13). It is thus significant that even when Jesus was
just a babe, the Magi (from the East) "fell down and worshiped
Him" (Matt. 2:11).
The final word on this matter must belong to God the Father,
for there is no higher authority in the universe. He Himself
is quoted as saying to Jesus: "Your throne, _O God,_ will last
for ever and ever" (Heb. 1:8). It is Jesus -- the second Person
of the Trinity -- that we as Christians look forward to seeing;
'we wait for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of _our
great God and Savior,_ Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). And, as
Christians, we exult in the truth that Jesus has _a name that
is above every name,_ and that at His name, _every_ knee will bow
-- in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil. 2:9-10).
*A CLOSING REFLECTION*
_What if -- despite all the arguments presented above -- a
manuscript should one day surface in India which speaks of Issa?_
Would this prove that Jesus did in fact go East during His youth?
Christians acknowledge that news of Jesus eventually reached
India and Tibet as a result of the missionary efforts of the
early church. It is conceivable that when devotees of other
religions heard about Jesus, they tried to modify what they heard
to make it appear that Jesus and His teachings were compatible
with their own belief systems. It is possible that -- sometime
between the first and nineteenth centuries -- these unreliable
legends were recorded on scrolls and circulated among the
convents in India. This would not be unlike the distorted
versions of the life of Jesus that emerged among the early
Gnostics (and recorded in the Gnostic gospels).
But for such a manuscript to be convincing, it would have to
have the same kind of irrefutable manuscript evidence as the New
Testament, the same quality of eyewitness testimony, and be
written very close to the events on which they report like the
New Testament. Until such an authoritative document surfaces, is
it wise to base one's eternal destiny on a manuscript that has
as little evidential support as Notovich's?
Douglas Groothuis issues this challenge: "Should any supposed
record of Jesus' life come to the fore, let it marshal its
historical merits in competition with holy writ. The competitors
have an uphill battle against the incumbent."[44]
*NOTES*
1 Shirley MacLaine, _Out on a Limb_ (New York: Bantam Books,
1984), 233-34.
2 Nicolas Notovitch, _The Life of Saint Issa,_ cited by Joseph
Gaer, _The Lore of the New Testament (Boston: Little Brown and
Co., 1952), 118.
3 Nicolas Notovitch, cited by Per Beskow, _Strange Tales About
Jesus_ (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, n.d.), 59.
4 Nicolas Notovitch, ed. _The Life of Saint Issa,_ in Elizabeth
Clare Prophet, _The Lost Years of Jesus_ (Livingston, MT:
Summit University Press, 1987), 218.
5 _Ibid.,_ 219.
6 _Ibid.,_ 222-23.
7 _Ibid.,_ 245-46.
8 Max Muller, "The Alleged Sojourn of Christ in India," _The
Nineteenth Century_ 36 (1894):515f., cited by Edgar J.
Goodspeed, _Modern Apocrypha_ (Boston: Beacon Press, 1956, 10.
9 _Ibid.,_ 11.
10 Notovitch, cited by Goodspeed, 11.
11 _Ibid.,_ 11-12.
12 Notovich, in Prophet, _Lost Years,_ 30.
13 _Ibid.,_ 103.
14 _Ibid.,_ 103.
15 _Ibid.,_ 108.
16 J. Archibald Douglas, "The Chief Lama of Himis on the Alleged
'Unknown Life of Christ'" _The Nineteenth Century_ (April
1896) 667-77, cited by Prophet, 36-37.
17 Goodspeed, 13.
18 Beskow, 62.
19 Goodspeed, 14 emphasis added.
20 _Ibid.,_ 5.
21 _Ibid.,_ 9.
22 _Ibid.,_
23 Levi, _The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ_ (London: L. N.
Fowler & Co., 1947), 48.
24 _Ibid.,_ 50.
25 Levi, cited by Gaer, 134.
26 Levi, _Aquarian Gospel,_ 66.
27 _Ibid.,_ 87.
28 _Ibid.,_ 251. 253.
29 Philip J. Swihart, _Reincarnation, Edgar Cayce, and the Bible_
(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1978), 18.
30 Anne Read, _Edgar Cayce: On Jesus and His Church_ (New York:
Warnera Books, 1970), 70.
31 David Spangler, _The Laws of Manifestation_ (Forres, Scotland:
Findhorn Publications, 1983), 23-24.
32 Spangler, _Reflections on the Christ,_ (Forres, Scotland:
Findhorn Publications, 1981, 61.
33 Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet, _The Lost
Teachings of Jesus 3_ (Livingston, MT: Summit University
Press, 1988), 273[74.
34 Notovitch, in Prophet, _Lost Years,_ 229.
35 Nicholas Roerich, _Himalaya_ (New York: Brentano's 1926),
cited by Prophet, 305.
36 Elaine Pagels, _The Gnostic Gospels_ (New York: Random House,
1979), xx.
37 _Ibid.,_ 126.
38 Levi, _Aquarian Gospel,_ 54.
39 _Ibid.,_ 56.
40 _Ibid.,_ 56.
41 Levi, _Aquarian Gospel,_ 12.
42 Notovitch, cited by Prophet, 120.
43 Tal Brooke, _When the World Will Be as One_ (Eugene, OR:
Harvest House Publishers, 1989) 118.
44 Douglas Groothuis, _Confronting the New Age_ (Downers Groves:
InterVarsity Press, 1988), 93.
-------------
End of document, CRJ0057A.TXT (original CRI file name),
"The Jesus of the New Age Movement"
release A, April 11, 1994
R. Poll, CRI
*NOTE TO THE READER:* Since he wrote this article, Ron Rhodes has
published a related book on the subject titled _The Counterfeit
Christ of the New Age Movement_ (Baker Book House, 1990).
(A special note of thanks to Bob and Pat Hunter for their help in
the preparation of this ASCII file for BBS circulation.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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